Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. An abnormal mass of tissue arising from the conjunctiva of the inner corner of the eye that obstructs vision by growing over the cornea.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In zoology and anatomy, a limb or member of one of the vertebrates, as a fish, in the most general sense, without reference to its specialization in any given instance. A hypothetical pterygium, whence other pterygia are supposed to have been evolved, is an archipterygium; the ichthyic modification is an ichthyopterygium; the air-breathers' modification is a chiropterygium. Parts of the pterygium of an elasmobranchiate fish have been called mesopterygium, metapterygium, propterygium, bearing basalia and radialia, as in the accompanying figure.
- n. In pathology, a more or less triangular patch of hypertrophied conjunctiva and subconjunctival tissue with its apex at the edge of the cornea or upon the cornea.
- n. In entomology, one of the two lateral expansions at the end of the rostrum of certain weevils. They lie above and partly conceal the scrobes or grooves in which the antennæ are concealed.
- n. An instrument employed in the operation for the removal of a pterygium from the cornea.
- n. A forward growth of the eponychium over the nail-plate.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Med.) A superficial growth of vascular tissue radiating in a fanlike manner from the cornea over the surface of the eye.
WordNet 3.0
- n. either of two thickened triangular layers of conjunctiva extending from the nasal edge of the eye to the cornea; it arises from irritation of the pinguecula
Etymologies
- New Latin, from Greek pterugion, diminutive of pterux, pterug-, wing; see pterygoid. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“If the pterygium starts to grow over the cornea, it can blur or obstruct vision and may need to be removed.”
“An opthamologist explains that “cataracts and pterygium are common in Costa Rica, in part because of the strong sun.””
You go, Hugo, and take your goody-goody goodie bags with you
“Sun exposure has also been linked to an abnormal growth on the corner of the eye near the nose called a pterygium.”
Dr. Rock Positano: Sunglasses Are More Than A Fashion Statement
“Other potential eye health problems related to UV exposure include pterygium – a growth on the white of the eye, which encroaches onto the cornea and can obscure your vision.”
“Yes, besides eye cataracts, pterygium and pinguecula caused by the light of fluorescent bulbs.”
“Unfortunately, after surgery a pterygium often grows back again.”
“Dark glasses may help calm irritation and slow the growth of a pterygium.”
“Connected with diseases of the eye, pterygium is common; not only single, but double, triple, and even quadruple are occasionally met with.”
“The pelvic girdle and limb (Figure 2, Sheet 15) are similar in structure, but the pro-pterygium and meso-pterygium are absent, and the cartilage answering to the meta-pterygium goes by the name of the basi-pterygium.”
“Three main cartilages, named respectively the pro - (p.p.), meso - (m.p.), and meta-pterygium, form the base of the limb.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘pterygium’.
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phrontistery - p
from phrontistery.info
pabouche, pabulous, pabulum, pacable, pace, pachydermia, pachyglossal, pachymeter, pachynsis, paciferous, pacificate, pactolian and 1766 more...
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Logolepsy
"Luciferous Logolepsy is a collection of over 9,000 obscure English words. Though the definition of an 'English' word might seem to be straightforward, it is not. There exist so many adopted, deriv...
Anschauung, Areopagus, Argus, Briarean, Dei gratia, Dei judicium, Deo volente, Duecento, Foehn, Geflugelte Worte, Gegenschein, Hakenkreuz and 9230 more...
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Starts with a silent letter
...with grateful thanks to telofy (for "cnidarian"), and to the song "Crazy ABC's" by Barenaked Ladies.
cnidarian, mnemonic, chthonic, ptarmigan, psoriasis, psittacine, bdellium, aisle, czar, gnarly, gnat, gnaw and 82 more...
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parody's Words
defenestrate, behemoth, floss, macchiato, glom, emu, alpaca, crocheted, ampersand, charade, conflate, salacious and 193 more...
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corpus medicorum
words describing medical conditions
decubitus, kernicterus, foetor, paroxysm, tarsorrhaphy, balanitis, porphyria, arcus senilis, coitus interruptus, in extremis, la belle indiffer..., xanthelasma and 184 more...
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Words I Love But Don't Use Enough
Thanks to all you Wordies out there flinging new words at my head. This one's for you.
phascolomian, flammulated, pelagic, avuncular, spondulicks, frippery, wyvern, stramash, cack-handed, bellicosity, infrared reflecto..., contumeliously and 106 more...
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Silent P
ptarmigan, pneumonia, psylla, psychic, pfeffernuss, pfennig, pterodactyl, psalm, pseudonym, ptolemaic, psyche, pfui teufel and 26 more...
Tweets
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chained_bear In anatomy:
a. A diseased condition of the conjunctiva of the eye
b. A growth of the epidermis over the nails
In botany:
Term applied to petals and other appendages when shaped like wings Feb 3, 2007